A variety of irrigation systems are utilized in agricultural endeavors in an effort to provide sufficient water to crops. Such irrigation systems are conventionally designed to distribute the water in a relatively even manner across a defined area. Some conventional types of irrigation systems include what are known as wheel-line systems and center pivot systems. When functioning properly, these types of systems may be used to provide water to large tracts of land in a relatively effective and efficient manner. Of course a variety of other systems are also known and employed in the art.
Water may be provided to such irrigation systems from a variety of sources including, for example, rivers, reservoirs, wells or other bodies of water. Conventionally, sources of water for irrigation purposes are not considered “potable” and may contain various particulates and debris. For example, sand, gravel, weeds, leaves, twigs and branches, garbage, and a number of other items may be contained in the water that is provided to an irrigation system from the water source. If such material enters into the irrigation system, it may clog the pipes or conduits that transport the water. Additionally, it may clog the nozzles or guns that distribute the water onto the crops. Often the clogged components will require disassembly and cleaning of the irrigation system to restore it to proper operation. The continual maintenance associated with cleaning and unclogging an irrigation system can require substantial time and expense.
Even if such debris does not completely clog the irrigation system, it can cause substantial inefficiencies in the irrigation system by reducing the flow of water. If, for example, water passes to a few nozzles or guns, but is prevented from reaching all of the nozzles or guns, the crop field will be watered unevenly. A single irrigation system may include hundreds of sprinkler nozzles that include relatively small nozzle orifices. Debris can easily clog such nozzles and, if even a handful of nozzles are clogged, uneven watering will result. Additionally, even if water passes through all of the nozzles or sprinkler guns, but at a reduced flow rate due to partial blockage, distribution of the water to the crop field will not be what was anticipated. In either case, the crops will suffer if the blockages are not remediated.
In many cases, some type of filter may be placed between the water source and the inlet of an irrigation system in an effort to prevent debris from entering the irrigation system (or at least reduce the amount of debris entering the system). However, such filters are not foolproof and often only serve to remove larger items while still allowing smaller items, such as sand and gravel, to pass through. In an effort to prevent smaller items from clogging distribution nozzles or spray guns, the inlets to individual nozzles and guns have conventionally been placed on the upper portion of a distribution pipe, with the hope that the heavier particles (e.g., sand particulates or gravel) will largely flow along the lower portion of the pipe and not enter into the sprinkler nozzles or guns. Even in this type of an arrangement, some systems may employ individual filters for each nozzle or gun to prevent or at least reduce clogging.
Despite having filters positioned at an inlet of an irrigation system, as well as at locations associated with individual sprinkler nozzles or guns, debris may accumulate at or near the end of the flow path associated with an irrigation system. Some systems include an end plug to account for such a situation. The end plug enables the irrigation system to open at the end opposite the inlet so that water can run through the system to flush out any built-up debris. Once the debris is flushed from the system, the end plug may be replaced and the irrigation system placed back in operation. While relatively effective, use of an end plug can be labor and time intensive. For example, one down side of such a method of flushing is that the source of the water must be shut off in order to remove the plug, then the water must be turned back on to flush the debris from the line and the water must be again turned off to reinstall the plug, the water having to be turned on again to continue irrigating.
It is a continued desire of the industry to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of irrigation systems.